A surprisingly windy but lovely day for training today.Half term week so quite a few extra watchers up trees and standing on anything they could and loads in the dug outs and standing next to them.Milner was out quite early and got a cheer from high up a tree and he waved back.No Boring James Milner there.

18 on view to start with but 3 went in after the MP chat. Nastasic and two others ( couldn't possibly say but MP might at the press conference if they are a problem).Jogs,stretches and then keep ball circles with Fernandinho sitting this out to do a little extra work with a physio.Some fun as ever in the circles with Samir in excellent mood albeit having a big whinge about who should be in the middle.

The onto a one/two touch passing routine in 2 separate groups before they split again with 6 players going in (ones who have played the most recently).The rest set up some finishing practice with the exception of Kun who worked separately..Basically crosses with a one touch finish either head or foot.First up was Edin with a wonderful finish. Goals and great saves.One goal from Joleon was followed with "save that!" Negredo scored with a real bullet header.It looked like it was set up as a straight competition between keepers and the rest so no surprise there was great banter between them all.This session seemed to be won by the shooters as Milner scored and the keepers had to do press ups.

Next was a two touch finish from a cross and good goals from Boyata.Demic (2),Micah,Rodders,Negredo,Jovetic and Garcia.Costel saved on from Milner who replied with "Panti you long bastard".Then onto a cross, a one touch lay off for someone to finish.The Edin ,Negredo partnership started it off perfectly but it was getting very competitive and when Costel saved this time from Samir he was really pumped with his cry of "COME ON". No doubt Samir had been winding it up.The keepers lost this one and Samir was very much the supervisor when they did their press ups to make sure they did the full quota and properly.

Next was a 2 touch finish for the strikers from a cross.Some nice goals and saves but this time the keepers won and Costel and Joe were all over Samir for his press ups and he was forced to do extras.All good fun and then onto a 5 a side game to finish but I didn't stay to watch especially as it was away on the far side of the pitches.

A good entertaining little session and I hope no injuries to worry about.Kun looking good but I am sure only a maybe for Saturday.

Hanging on by a thread in all four competitions and about to slip off the proverbial ledge has proven too much for the players brought in for millions of pounds and under intense scrutiny and pressure to succeed. The Mail has learned that Samir Nasri and Costel Pantilimon had to be separated by armed security guards and teammates after a training ground disagreement turned ugly. This came on the heels of another near bust-up involving the frustrated Joleon Lescott, a player who has been on the outside looking in for months, who apparently attacked both Joe Hart and Pantilimon (with well placed headers) mid-drill! It seems that out of his depth manager Manuel Pellegrini is clueless when it comes tostopping the discord between his overpriced and overworked stars. He was sighted blowing a whistle on the sideline, seemingly egging his players on as they brutally attacked each other, rather than jumping in to try to separate them. Even the normally mild mannered James Milner became involved in the fracas, launching and expletive-laden diatribe against Pantilimon as teammates struggled to pull them apart. All of these problems of course, come in the aftermath of a right thwacking at the hands of the ever-resplendent Barca, who recently benefitted from City's naivete and inexperience, handing them a decisive 2-0 loss which of course should have been 3 or 4 nill. And unlike the hard done by Arsenal who fought valiantly in the face of insurmountable odds, City seemingly rolled over to a superior force once again, which explains why tensions are high around Carrington. Whether these problems will lead to massive goings out or comings in at the next transfer window remains to be seen, but suffice it to say that Pellegrini and the boys in blue are on the rocks, and this report from the training grounds proves it.

Doug, see the "Next: Stoke (Home)" thread, in the game intro I have pasted a GOAL.com article regarding Kompany having sustained a hamstring injury during the Barca game and will be playing through against Stoke with pain despite of that ...

Doug, see the "Next: Stoke (Home)" thread, in the game intro I have pasted a GOAL.com article regarding Kompany having sustained a hamstring injury during the Barca game and will be playing through against Stoke with pain despite of that ...

Sorry I hadn't seen that.I do remember the incident though when he went for his hamstring after 60 odd minutes.

doug, im curious. you mention that 6 who recently played went in but then Negredo stayed out. does that normally happen, that alot of recently played players go in but some recently played players stay out?

phips wrote:doug, im curious. you mention that 6 who recently played went in but then Negredo stayed out. does that normally happen, that alot of recently played players go in but some recently played players stay out?

I would say it's unusual for the odd one to stay out.Perhaps a bit different in Negredo's case as he hasn't played that many full games recently and is trying to get back to his best after that silly injury he picked up at WHU.